URLs and landing page policies

These URLs and landing pages policies will help you with acceptable URLs and the kind of behavior users should expect when they trigger your ad. URLs should accurately describe your ad’s landing page, for example. Also, landing pages should load and function as normally expected — disruptive or deceptive content is not allowed.

URL types

• Display URL: The web page address that appears in your ad text.
• Destination URL: The address of the web page a user is taken to after a click on your ad that enables you to track performance at keyword or device level. Destination URL is not displayed in your ads.
• Landing page URL: The address of the final web page where users end up after clicking an ad.

The destination URL must work properly and resolve to a single working website. It cannot connect to an email address or a file.

• The display URL should be either the actual landing page URL or a shortened version of the landing page URL (for example, the top-level domain of the landing page URL).
• The display URL must be of a valid format:
  • Top level domain, e.g., “contoso.com.tw”
  • Subdomain or folders, if applicable, e.g., “product.contoso.com” or “contoso/xyz.com.tw”
  • Domain extension, such as .com, .net, or .co.uk.
  • Non-standard characters and IP addresses are not allowed.
• The display URL cannot be misleading. In other words, the display URL cannot be used to disguise one site as another with an intent to mislead users. Please see our Microsoft Advertising policies.
• The display URL cannot be misleading. In other words, the display URL cannot be used to disguise one site as another with an intent to mislead users. Please see our Misleading content policy/Promotion of third party products and services to learn more.
• The domain extension cannot be used in a misleading manner. Domain extensions such as .gov or .edu for example must lead to a government site and educational institution site respectively.

• The display URL must match the landing page URL

• Dynamic keyword insertions could trigger a mismatch. If you use keyword insertion ensure that the display and landing page URLs match.

Limited to the following circumstances, non-matching display and landing page URLs are acceptable.

• Tracking URLs with redirects. Destination URLs with redirects not matching the display URLs are acceptable provided that the top level domain of the display URL and the top level domain of the landing page URL match.

• Descriptive deeplinks. Subdomains or folders can be used in the display URL for descriptive purposes that do not match the subdomain or folders of the landing page URL provided that the top level domain match, and that the subdomain or folder adequately describes the portion of your site users will land.

• Hosting sites. You may be allowed to use a descriptive display URL that does not match the landing page URL for hosted domains. If you believe you have a legitimate use case fitting in this category, you may appeal the rejection.

• Brand considerations. You may be allowed to use a display URL that does not match the landing page URL for brand consideration purposes. For example, a well-recognized product brand can be used as display URL to direct users to the generic sale portal of the product owner. If you believe you have a legitimate use case fitting in this category, you may appeal the rejection.

Display URLs and destination URLs may only be in Latin, ASCII characters and must not contain accents or diacritics. Display URLs and destination URLs with non-Latin characters — such as Chinese or Russian characters, for example — and Latin characters with accents and diacritics — such as http://contosé.com, for example — will be rejected.

• Your landing page must be available and reliably responsive even at peak use times.
• Your destination URL must resolve to a single static landing page; it may not take search users to a different page on the site each time the ad is clicked.
• Use a landing page that you own or control, or that you are authorized to represent or send traffic to.

Read the relevance and quality policies for additional information about landing pages and creating high-quality experiences with them.

• The Back button on the landing page must be functional and allow users to return to the previous webpage.
• The landing page must not:
  • Generate pop-up or pop-under ads.
  • Spawn multiple pop-ups or any pop-up that prevents visitors from leaving the site.
    
  • Open any additional windows.
  • Mislead the user with "imitation" dialog boxes or browser windows.
  • Be designed to look broken or simulate a non-working webpage in any way.
  • Use "fake" close behavior. For example, when a user clicks a "close" button on the page, it should close that page, and no other behavior should result:
    

For additional policies about site behavior and navigation, see the relevance and quality policies.